We will go downstairs,” said Carpentaria, when a certain amount of order had been restored to the room. “We shall be more at ease there.”
“No,” cried Jetsam, and there was a note of passion in his voice. “This old woman shall hear my tale. I tell it in her presence, or I tell it not at all.” Carpentaria gazed at Mrs. Ilam’s eyes, which made no response. Her bed was now replaced in its proper position, and those strange burning eyes perused their old spot in the ceiling. After the brief and terrible return of activity to that stricken body, it seemed to have sunk back into a condition of helplessness more absolute even than before. The eyes burned, but not quite with their former disturbing brilliance.
“Very well,” Carpentaria agreed.
Ilam was already seated, apparently half-comatose. The other two men each seized a chair. And then there was a timid but insistent knocking.
“What is that?” demanded Carpentaria of Jetsam. “You ought to know; you have been master here for some hours.”
“It is Miss Rosie, I imagine,” Jetsam answered. “Your singular music has startled her.”
Carpentaria walked rapidly to the door, unlocked it, and opened it. Rosie it indeed was who stood there.
“Ah, my dear young lady,” he said lightly, without giving her an opportunity even to express her astonishment. “I would like you to go to your sister, who is in my house over the way. But I fear you cannot open any of the doors. Won’t you retire and rest a little, after your complicated labours?” He smiled a little grimly. “Everything is all right here, and should your aged relative need your ministrations you may rely on me to call you. In the meantime, your cousin and I, and your particular friend Mr. Jetsam, must have a chat on business matters.”
He bowed, covering the aperture of the door with his body so that Rosie could not see inside the room. As for Rosie, she hesitated.
“I entreat you,” he insisted, “go and rest, and don’t have anything more to do with boats; you might drown yourself. And believe me when I say that nothing further will be done in secret. The moment I am free I will endeavour to free the doors.”